Power system



Feb. 19, 1963 D. H. slLvERN POWER SYSTEM Filed May 8, 1961 United States Patent Olice 3,077,737 Patented Feb. 19, 1963 This invention relates to a power system and more particularly to a closed circuit system for generating power.

It is the general object of this invention to produce a new and improved power generator of the character described.

It is a more specific object of the present invention to produce a power system which may utilize a hydrocarbon fuel without the necessity of provisions for exhaust and providing for the re-use of certain elements of combustion to provide -a self-sustaining reaction.

As will be clear to those skilled in the art from the description which follows, the present invention provides for a power generating system utilizing a closed circuit and eliminating the necessity for an exhaust discharge. This being the case, the power generating system of the present invention is particularly useful under circumstances where the supply of oxygen for combustion may Ibe limited or where it is undesirable to provide for exhaust. A particularly useful application of the present invention is in a drive for a submarine or a submarine torpedo. The power generating system of the present invention can be adapte-d for use as the source of propelling power for a submarine or a submarine torpedo, and the elimination of any exhaust from the system will of course render the detection of the torpedo more diflicult.

Thus, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a closed circuit power generating system which, through the elimination of exhaust, is particularly adaptable for uses such as a source of propelling power for submarines or submarine torpedoes.

Other and further objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic view of a submarine motor employing the principles of the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a view like FIG. l of a modified form of the invention.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail two embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiments illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a reaction chamber containing a suitable chemical such as potassium oxide (KOZ) capable of absorbing at least one of the products of combustion and giving off oxygen. The reaction chamber 10 is connected by means of conduit 11 to a combustion chamber 12. Also connected to the combustion chamber 12 through line 13 is a fuel chamber 14 and fuel is delivered through the line 13 by means of the pump 15. The fuel in chamber 14 may be a hydrocarbon fuel which when combined with oxygen in the combustion chamber 12 produces the usual products of combustion, namely, carbon dioxide, water and heat. The gases of combustion are directed through the line 16 to a turbine 17 suitably connected through gear box 18 to the propeller 19 of the torpedo and the gases are then directed through line 20 to a cooler 21. The water in the gases is condensed in the cooler and directed by line 22 into the fuel tank 14 so that as fuel is used in the tank 14 the space occupied thereby is taken by the water. Obviously, a movable wal-l such as piston 14a or flexible diaphragm will be employed in the chamber 14 to maintain the fuel and water separated. The carbon dioxide, after being cooled in the coolant chamber 21, is directed by means of conduit 23 into a compressor 24 connected by shaft 25 to the turbine wheel 17 and the compressed gases are then directed into the chamber 10.

The chemical reaction taking place in the chambers 10 and 12 can be shown as follows:

al 2x02 oo. Krom-igor Hear b O Ca2+-3502 col-l-nzo-x-Heat The reaction a takes place within the reaction chamber 10 and the reaction b takes place in the combustion chamber 12. The cooling which takes place in the coolant chamber 21 may be effected by sea water carried through suitable tubes (not shown) and entering the chamber through the inlet indicated -at 26 and exiting through the outlet indicated at 27.

A somewhat similar arrangement is shown in FIG. 2 wherein there is illustrated a reaction chamber 30 connected by a line 31 to a combustion chamber 32. A fuel line 33 is connected to a fuel chamber 34 and serves to introduce hydrocarbon fuel into the combustion chamber 32. The gases resulting from the combustion are directed by conduit 36 into a boiler 37. Within the boiler are located heat exchange tubes 38 containing water which is converted to steam and which exits through the lines 39 against the blades of the turbine 40 which drives the propeller 41. Spent steam enters the condenser 42 cooled by sea water through inlet 43 and outlet 44 and then is returned by way of line 45 and pump 46 to the tubes 38. The hot gases exiting from the boiler 37 are directed into duct 47 and propelled by means of the fan and motor 4S into the reaction chamber 30. Within the chamber is located the perforate pipe 49 allowing the gases to permeate through the KO2 indicated at 50 which fills the chamber 30 and surrounds the perforate pipe 49. The reaction taking place in the reaction chamber 30` is the same as that occurring in the chamber lil and the combustion in the combustion chamber 32 serves the same purpose as the combustion in chamber 12. Water from the reaction in the combustion chamber condensing in the boiler 37 is directed by means of line 51 and pump 52 into the fuel chamber 34 to replace the fuel expended therefrom.

It will be noted from the foregoing description that the circuit can be closed in that no exhaust is necessary. The absence o-f the requirements for an exhaust render the system particularly adaptable for use Where the presence of exhaust is undesired such as for deep running torpedos.

I claim:

l. A power generating system comprising a fuel charnber adapted to contain a hydrocarbon fuel, a reaction chamber and a combustion chamber, means in the reaction chamber to produce oxygen from carbon dioxide, means for directing such oxygen and fuel into the combustion chamber to combine therein to produce carbon dioxide and water vapor, means for utilizing the energy of combustion to generate power, a coolant chamber for cooling the products of combustion and to condense the water therein, means for directing the carbon dioxide into the reaction chamber and means for directing the condensed water into the fuel Chamber to occupy the volume of the fuel as the latter is consumed.

2. The system of claim l in which reaction chamber contains potassium oxide for combining with carbon dioxide to give olf oxygen.

3. A power generating system comprising a fuel container for containing hydrocarbon fuel, a reaction chamber and a combustion chamber, a supply of potassium oxide in said reaction chamber for combining with the carbon dioxide to release oxygen, means for directing fuel and such released oxygen into said combustion chamber to produce heated carbon dioxide, water and water vapor therein, means for directing the heated products of cornbustion into a heat exchanger, said heat exchanger serving to condense said water vapor, means for directing the condensed water vapor into the fuel chamber to replace fuel drawn therefrom, and means for directing carbon dioxide from said heat exchanger into the reaction chamber.

4. The power generating system of claim 3 in which said heat exchanger is a boiler and including means for utilizing the energy of the vapor produced therein to perform Work.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,624,172 Houdry Jan. 6, 1953 2,915,030 Perrier Dec. l, 1959 FORETGN PATENTS 190,535 Germany Oct. 25, 1907 OTHER REFERENCES Walter: Power Plant Engineering Magazine, January 1947, pp. 79430. 

1. A POWER GENERATING SYSTEM COMPRISING A FUEL CHAMBER ADAPTED TO CONTAN A HYDROCARBON FUEL, A REACTION CHAMBER AND A COMBUSTION CHAMBER, MEANS IN THE REACTION CHAMBER TO PRODUCE OXYGEN FROM CARBON DIOXIDE, MEANS FOR DIRECTING SUCH OXYGEN AND FUEL INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER TO COMBINE THEREIN TO PRODUCE CARBON DIOXIDE AND WATER VAPOR, MEANS FOR UTILIZING THE ENERGY OF COMBUSTION TO GENERATE POWER, A COOLANT CHAMBER FOR COOLING THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION AND TO CONDENSE THE WATER THEREIN, MEANS FOR DIRECTING THE CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE REACTION CHAMBER AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING THE CONDENSED WATER INTO THE FUEL CHAMBER TO OCCUPY THE VOLUME OF THE FUEL AS THE LATTER IS CONSUMED. 